Egg producer DAVA Foods Finland’s regeneratively grown fodder
DAVA FOODS FINLAND’S COMMITMENT
Finland’s leading producer of eggs, DAVA Foods Finland Oy, is committed to improving nutrient cycling, soil carbon sequestration, and soil health while growing feed grain for chickens.
IN PROGRESS
Commitment made in 2021
DURATION
2021–2025
DAVA Foods Finland Oy is the leading company in Finland’s processing, packaging, and distribution of fresh shell eggs. Kultamuna eggs have been a familiar and responsible choice of Finnish consumers for decades. Kultamuna eggs are produced in Finland without cages. DAVA Foods also produces different kinds of egg products for restaurants and the food industry. Approximately 60 Finnish contract farmers ensure that the egg products are top-quality. DAVA Foods Finland Oy is owned half by Finnish Munakunta Co-operative and half by DAVA Foods Holding A/S, an industrial egg company group operating in the Baltic Sea region.
Eggs have several nutritional values. According to a study conducted by Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) in 2021, the Finnish egg’s footprint in different environmental categories is already very sustainable compared to other animal protein sources. In its Baltic Sea Commitment, DAVA Foods Finland Oy commits to promoting regenerative farming methods in producing hen fodder, mostly grown on its contract farmers’ farms. The aim is to sequester carbon in the soil, improve soil health and biodiversity, and improve farms’ profitability and vitality. The company also commits to sustainable nutrient management and advancing nutrient. Making a Baltic Sea Commitment is one tool for continuous improvement in mitigating climate impacts and nutrient load in the lifecycle of Kultamuna eggs, enabling Finnish consumers to rely on this development work. DAVA Foods Finland Oy makes this commitment to the Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG) for the years 2021–2025. The commitment focuses on the research work on the Carbon Action platform.
COMMITMENT GOALS
1
Carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling and improving soil health in fodder farming.
DAVA Foods Finland encourages contract farmers to educate themselves in regenerative farming methods in the e-college for regenerative farming (Uudistavan viljelyn e-opisto). The aim is to
- provide all contract farmers with a possibility to familiarise themselves with regenerative farming and tools for examining production on their farm from the regenerative point of view.
- encourage interested farmers to join the Carbon Action Club, which offers news topics and knowledge on regenerative farming.
DAVA Foods Finland offers a 2-day intensive training for selected contract farmers. The aim is to
- support participants in experimenting and introducing regenerative methods in fodder farming on their farms.
- start testing and using regenerative methods in fodder farming, covering a significant share of the whole egg production volume.
2
Promoting manure utilisation. According to the Natural Resources Institute Finland study, using organic fertilisers, fodder farming has a smaller environmental footprint than mineral fertilisers. DAVA Foods Finland develops its contract producers’ possibilities to enhance manure utilisation, i.a., by
- providing producers with knowledge and skills in optimising manure utilisation in regenerative farming and circular economy.
- further developing possibilities for cooperation with crop farms to improve manure nutrient utilisation.
- recognising new possibilities, such as producing biogas on a farm scale, in a partner operator’s biogas plant, or processing manure into fertiliser products.
3
Promoting renewable energy use in farm operations. In cooperation with its contract farms, DAVA Foods Finland promotes, for example
- utilisation of manure in biogas production.
- use of other renewable fuels, like woodchips, in farm heating.
- production and utilisation of solar and wind energy on the farms.
4
Launching an egg product which environmental footprint is being progressively reduced. Together with selected contract producers, DAVA Foods Finland develops and launches a non-cage egg product which environmental footprint, negative impacts on the Baltic Sea and climate are progressively reduced within the production chain. In addition to regenerative fodder farming, methods may include developing manure utilisation and, for example, growing the share of renewable energy on the farm. The aim is
- to audit the farms producing eggs whose environmental footprint is being progressively reduced and thus make sure that the related methods are being used.
- that DAVA Foods Finland pays these producers a premium for sold eggs with a reduced environmental footprint.
- to offer consumers a concrete example in the form of a product of a production chain where regenerative farming and nutrient recycling are integrated.
We are excited about the new cooperation with BSAG. Carbon Action is a great project because it gives companies and farms the right tools to develop responsibility. With such cooperation, we can develop our production with a broad perspective.
Juha-Petri Jokinen, CEO, DAVA Foods Finland
With this commitment, DAVA Foods Finland joins the Carbon Action platform, which enables collaboration in the food chain and the development of its operations to promote regenerative farming. Furthermore, DAVA Foods Finland commits to communicate about the Carbon Action platform in its general communication channels as jointly agreed. DAVA Foods Finland is provided with a Commitment Maker logo and communication material by BSAG.
The commitment period is five years, and the Baltic Sea Commitment will be followed-up through yearly meetings between DAVA Foods Finland and BSAG. In addition, the commitment targets will be refined or confirmed at an agreed point within the five-year period.
CONTACT US
